North Bergen investigates three suspicious fires in close proximity

NORTH BERGEN — Police are investigating three fires that badly damaged two cars and almost damaged another early Wednesday, saying that they appear to have been set.

TARIQ ZEHAWI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

At least three cars were set on fire in a neighborhood in North Bergen Wednesday morning. This car was found in a driveway at a home on 76th Street.

One car was spared damage when the owner, walking his dog at 6 a.m., noticed a garbage can lid with burning garbage on top of it underneath his BMW and pulled it away before the fire spread, said Sgt. Joseph Stankard of the North Bergen police. The car was parked in a driveway on 76th Street.

He said that the township fire department scurried from one fire to another, all within a two-block radius, between 5:25 a.m. and 6:25 a.m.

The first fire completely destroyed a blue Toyota that was parked on First Avenue, he said. The last fire severely damaged a black Toyota parked in a driveway on 76th Street. It has not been determined how those two fires began, Stankard said. He said that the police have yet to determine whether gasoline or another accelerant was used in any of the fires.

“That’s all under investigation,” he said.

The police, he said, are examining video surveillance from cameras located outside nearby stores, along with cameras owned by the township. North Bergen has a system of 114 video cameras located at intersections in residential areas.

North Bergen investigates three suspicious fires in close proximity

At least three cars were set on fire in a neighborhood in North Bergen Wednesday morning. This car was found in a driveway at a home on 76th Street.

By ABBOTT KOLOFF

Staff Writers |

The Record

NORTH BERGEN — Police are investigating three fires that badly damaged two cars and almost damaged another early Wednesday, saying that they appear to have been set.

One car was spared damage when the owner, walking his dog at 6 a.m., noticed a garbage can lid with burning garbage on top of it underneath his BMW and pulled it away before the fire spread, said Sgt. Joseph Stankard of the North Bergen police. The car was parked in a driveway on 76th Street.

He said that the township fire department scurried from one fire to another, all within a two-block radius, between 5:25 a.m. and 6:25 a.m.

The first fire completely destroyed a blue Toyota that was parked on First Avenue, he said. The last fire severely damaged a black Toyota parked in a driveway on 76th Street. It has not been determined how those two fires began, Stankard said. He said that the police have yet to determine whether gasoline or another accelerant was used in any of the fires.

“That’s all under investigation,” he said.

The police, he said, are examining video surveillance from cameras located outside nearby stores, along with cameras owned by the township. North Bergen has a system of 114 video cameras located at intersections in residential areas.